


When She Cries

by DemonGirl0913



Category: Inception
Genre: Cutting, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, No Smut, Underage Relationship, but no sex, fluff only, graphic depictions of self harm, mentions of self harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-07
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-13 12:44:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7977184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonGirl0913/pseuds/DemonGirl0913
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brooke suffers from severe depression, PTSD, and self harm. The only person she has ever felt close to is her uncles Best friend, Eames. He is twice her age but she can't help feel drawn to him. Maybe he is the only person who can save her from herself. Maybe, she just might save him as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When She Cries

**Author's Note:**

> This is an underage pairing but there is no smut whatsoever. I wrote a lot of these stories while I was coping with my own sexual assault and self harm. These stories helped me hope for a brighter, happier future. This was inspired by the song When She Cries by Britt Nicole that I actually credit at the end of the fic. I was obsessed with Tom Hardy, especially Eames from inception.

She pressed the blade to her wrist, jerking quickly, feeling it tear through the skin smoothly, only wincing slightly at the pain. Not to deep, no, never too deep. Just enough to feel the burn and watch blood trickle slowly out of her wrist. She doesn't cut to kill herself. She has a lot to live for, but she also has a lot she needs to escape, and cutting has become her escape. This time it was just because of the stress of losing her parents in a plane crash. Thinking about them, she couldn't fight the urge any longer. It's become an addiction she can't control anymore. At 10 years old her parents had died. At 11 she was raped by a family "friend". Just last year she lost her other half, her best friend Lizzy. 

The cutting began the day after her funeral and hadn't stopped since. She glanced at the clock as her wrist still bled. 11:29 pm. Only thirty-one more minutes until she was turning 17. Nothing would be different. She would still feel the pain of being an orphan. She would still miss her best friend. She would still remember the way that man touched her. She would still struggle daily with her cutting and she would still be lost. She would still be all alone, aching for someone other than her Uncle Dom to show her affection. That particular man had been one of her uncle's closest friends for as long as she could remember and she knew the man would never love her the way she loved him. Eames. Beautiful blue eyed Eames, with his short sandy brown hair and those calloused hands that showed years of work but were still very soft and delicate. She shook her head willing thoughts of Eames from her mind. Does anyone hear her silent pleas for help?

As reality crept back into her mind she realized her wrist was still bleeding. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it tightly around the wound, applying more pressure than necessary. She cleaned the blood away and wrapped it tightly in gauze, cleaning her knife off and wiping up her mess. She hid the bloody towel and the now clean knife at the back of her bottom dresser drawer, closing it with a soft click. She hid the gauze and medical tape back in her middle drawer, knowing she would need it again. Brooke Jones was turning 17 tomorrow and knew she had a party to attend. She told her Uncle Dom it was unnecessary but he insisted and she hated to argue. She climbed into bed and pulled the covers to her chin, hugging herself tightly. She wished she could be exited about her party but knew she couldn't be. It was just another day she had to hide her true emotions and not let anyone past arm's length. Then the man she wished she could stop thinking about popped into her head once more before she closed her eyes. Eames. She will get to see him tomorrow for the first time in weeks. Her stomach flipped at the thought and she actually smiled. She drifted into a restless sleep, knowing she wouldn't dream. She never did.

She woke in the morning to see the sun shining. She looked at her phone and it read 9:00 am on the nose. She knew her Uncle wanted to be at the warehouse by eleven because he was expecting everyone else there by eleven-thirty. Wonderful, she thought. She went to the bathroom and put the water on the perfect temperature before undressing and stepping in. She stood under the water, willing it to wash away her sadness but it did nothing. She washed her hair and her body making sure she smelled good and turned off the water grabbing her towel from the toilet seat. She brushed her teeth as she dried off and picked out an outfit. Blue jeans, a nice black t-shirt, with her cowgirl boots and a nice John Deere pullover. She finished drying and put on her clothes. Her hair was still wet so she went to the bathroom and blow dried it. She decided against fixing it and just threw it up in a ponytail. She applied very light make up, wanting Eames to think she looked good. She put on her best smile and walked out to meet Uncle Dom, who was waiting in the living room.

"Ready?" her uncle asked as she walked towards him.

She forced a smile and replied "You bet."

She checked her phone again and saw that it was only 10:45. She wanted to groan as she climbed in the car but didn't. She didn't want her uncle to know anything was wrong. She appreciated the birthday but really wasn't feeling up to it, but she didn't want him to know. She knew it would crush him so she sucked it up and pretended everything was okay, like she did every other day of her life. They arrived at the warehouse five minutes later, knowing she would have to wait for the others to arrive. Why did her uncle insist on leaving so early when they lived in walking distance? She didn't know the answer but felt it best not to ask. Walking into the warehouse she saw "Happy Birthday Brooke" in big bubble letters hanging on the beams in the middle of the room. She noticed other decorations on the tables but also noticed no one else was there, just as she thought. She sat down in a chair, pulling out her notebooks she kept with her at all times, and began to write, waiting for HIM to walk in.

XxX

Eames woke feeling well rested and immediately his body was on alert. He didn't get to sleep very early last night, so feeling well rested meant he had to have over slept. He grabbed his phone, the screen lighting up to say 10:55 am.

"Damnit!" he yelled, realizing his alarm hadn't gone off. He knew he had to be at the warehouse by eleven-thirty. He would have had plenty of time except he still needed to shower, pick out the perfect outfit and go pick up Brooke's present. He knew he should have gotten it yesterday but it wasn't ready. He didn't wait till the last minute purposefully, as some might think. He had actually been looking for the perfect gift for her for almost two months, wanting it to be special and mean something along the lines of "Hey I sort of love you". He finally found the perfect gift and couldn't wait to see her face when she opened it. He was supposed to pick it up twenty minutes ago but knew it would still be there when he went to get it.

"Shit shit shit" he said as he hopped off the bed, running to the bathroom. He turned on the water, stripped, and happed in not caring how cold the water was. He quickly showered, making sure he smelled good, and stepped out wrapping a towel around his hips. He went to his closet and looked for the perfect suit. He didn't want to wear anything stupid because this was Brooke's special day. He wanted to look good for her. He knew it was wrong but he had fallen head over heels in love with his best friend's niece. He knew it was wrong because she was just now turning seventeen but obviously his heart didn't care. He loved her with everything he had in him and he was going to make sure she knew it. He settled on black dress slacks and a plum colored silk shirt. He picked out his best dress shoes to match and quickly dressed, not drying completely. He knew he would regret it when the silk instantly stuck to his wet chest but he wanted to get moving as quickly as possible. 

He grabbed his wallet and keys and nearly sprinted to his car. He climbed into the drivers seat, started the car and nearly peeled out of his driveway heading to his first destination. He pulled up infront of a small design studio fifteen minutes later. The car was barely in park when he turned the key and hopped out going inside to pick up his gift. He quickly paid and was back in the car in less than five minutes. He checked the clock on his radio. 11:20. He was still at least fifteen minutes away from the warehouse and that was on a good day. Traffic decided to be hell on the way here and he knew it was only going to get worse. He found a piece of paper and quickly scrawled out "sorry it's not wrapped love, terrible at it" his British accent finding its way into his writing. He tore off another piece and wrote "I'm so sorry I am late. I had this made especially for you and was just able to pick it up. I really hope you like it. I can't wait to see the smile on your face." He thought about scratching the last line out and decided not to. One way or another she was going to know how he felt about her. He knew there was a chance of Cobb seeing the note and going berserk but decided the risk was worth it. He left the parking lot, heading to the warehouse as fast as the traffic would allow him. It was nearly noon when he finally pulled into the warehouse parking lot.

"Damn traffic," he grumbled as he climbed into the chilly air, heading to the warehouse doors. He walked in looking for the Brooke when she looked up from where she was writing in a notebook and his blue-green eyes met deep blue ones and the smile that broke out across her face made everything worth it.

XxX

Brooke was so enveloped in the story she was writing she didn't notice Arthur and Ariadne come in until her uncle was greeting them.

"Where's the birthday girl?" Ariadne asked, finally spotting her in the chair seated at the end of the table. Brooke put her pen and paper down and went to where Ariadne was standing giving her a quick and awkward side hug. She pulled away quickly, feeling uncomfortable. "You are growing up so fast." She heard Arthur before she saw him walking around Ariadne to look at her. "Not fast enough" Brooke thought but didn't dare voice it aloud. "Happy Birthday" Arthur said before walking to find Cobb in the next room. Yusuf came in moments later and after all the "Happy birthdays" and hugs the group dispersed and she was able to get back to the table and sat down, grabbing her phone lighting up the screen. 11:40. Of course the one person she wanted to be here the most wasn't. She decided to go back to writing, fighting her inner voices saying Eames didn't want to see her. She knew she was being ridiculous. Eames would be here, if not for her, for her Uncle Dom. She continued writing her story and when ten minutes passed she heard the warehouse door open and looked up, meeting blue green eyes that had been seeking her own. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face at the sight of him.

"Eames," Arthur announced in an annoyed tone, "How not surprising of you to be late."

Eames grinned, saying "Shut it, Arthur. I've got good reason this time." He looked at Brooke, who was still seated at her table but had sat her pen down. He smiled at her and she felt her heart race smiling back. A TRUE SMILE. She couldn't believe Eames could brighten her day with just a show of those beautifully crooked teeth.

"Oh yeah," Arthur said, insistent on giving the Brit a hard time, "And what could that possibly be, Eames? Let me guess, a wicked hangover? Or better yet you had to get rid of your latest fling?" Brooke couldn't believe Arthur was being so mean, and on her birthday for crying out loud. She felt her anger boiling and knew she was close to snapping. She stood, about to snap at Arthur when Eames stepped closer to where she was standing, holding what looked like a notebook.

"This," he said handing her the notebook. "I know it isn't time for presents but this does justify why I am late, darling." She smiled to herself at the endearment and took the book, looking down at it. It was a hardback notebook, almost like a drawing pad but better. As great as that was, what took her breath away was the deep blue background, white stars sparkling in the darkness. Across the middle in beautiful cursive writing was "Brooke" in light pink letters with a white ribbon wrapping around them. At the bottom right corner was a butterfly, composed of bright blues and greens. It was so vibrant and beautiful she reached out and traced the small picture. Leave it to Eames to remember something she had only mentioned in passing, one time at that. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, watching for her reaction, as she traced the butterfly again. She could feel Eames watching her and noticed how he shifted on his feet, also awaiting he reaction. She felt a tear slide down her cheek as she looked into Eames eyes.

"You made this?" she asked barely above a whisper. She didn't care everyone was seeing her weepy. She wanted Eames to know how much this meant to her.

"I had it made yes. I just designed it." He responded, rubbing his neck. He knew putting so much effort into a gift could reveal so many things; he just hoped no one paid enough attention except Brooke. She looked back down at the cover, finally noticing the note Eames had taped to the front. She read it carefully "Sorry it's not wrapped, love. Terrible at it." She smiled as she read the note. She knew it was stupid. He called everyone love or darling. But when he said them to her his voice always took on a different tone. Whether she imagined it or not it made her heart beat faster and her head feel feather light. She looked up, smiling, as another tear rolled down her cheek. Without saying a word she wrapped her arms around Eames neck, momentarily shocking him. Within seconds he was enveloping her in his strong arms, hugging her for everything she was worth.

"Thank you, Eames. Its beautiful," she said as she stepped away, a blush creeping into her cheeks as she realized everyone was still watching her. "and you are forgiven for being late," she finished as an afterthought. She noticed Eames hand lingered but for only a second before releasing her completely so she could show the others. She was still smiling and she couldn't help it. It was the most beautiful gift she had ever received and the fact that it was Eames who had made it, made it that much better. She looked at Eames and mouthed "Thank you so much". He nodded and she showed everyone the notebook and tried to judge her uncles reaction when he said,

"That is truly a great gift, Eames."

"Truly," Arthur, Yusuf, and Ariadne all agreed. The rest of the group decided to give her their presents also. Money, gift cards, and from Uncle Dom, the keys to his old Honda Civic. She threw her arms around her uncle and thanked him. This day was turning out better than she ever expected.

"You've earned it, princess." She hated when she was called princess but she let it pass. She was just too happy to let anything ruin it. In her eyes no amount of money or even a car could amount to how much the notebook had meant to her. She thanked everyone and excused herself to go sit at a table and examine the notebook once more. As she sat down she marveled at how much detail Eames had put into the design. She mentioned that she had loved butterflies once, on a sunny day as they were passing a park filled with them, on the way back to the warehouse from lunch. She had also mentioned she wished she could see a bright blue and green one instead of the natural yellows, reds, and orange ones she saw every day. She couldn't believe Eames would remember something from an unimportant conversation from so long ago. The fact that he had made her head spin. She decided she would ask him later, and started flipping through the pages and a small piece of paper fell onto the table. She picked it up, recognizing Eames chicken scratch and began to read. "I'm so sorry I'm late." He must have written it on his way to the warehouse. That aside she kept reading. "I had this made just for you and was just able to pick it up. I can't wait to see the smile on your face." She read the note at least three times to make sure she read the last sentence right. Once she was sure she read it right, she looked up searching for Eames. He was talking to Yusuf; more like listening or pretending too, because when she looked at him she met his eyes. He had been staring. She smiled, allowing a blush to creep into her cheeks, trying to show him everything she couldn't say with the warehouse full of people.

XxX

Brooke excused herself and went to sit where she was at the table when he had walked in. He was casually talking to Yusuf; well Yusuf was talking and he was nodding, encouraging him to go on. He was so wrapped up in the story he was telling he didn't notice Eames attention wasn't focused on him, but on Brooke, who had picked up the note he wrote earlier. He watched intently as she read it trying to judge her reaction. He was sure she read it more than once. A smile slowly crept across her face as she looked around. She locked eyes with him and smiled again, a blush now occupying her cheeks. He smiled back his toothy grin. As much as he hated to look away, he didn't want anyone catching who he was smiling at. He didn't want them to think he was some kind of freak. Now that he knew his not had made her smile, he tried to listen to Yusuf again. The rest of the party went just like that. He would pretend to talk to Yusuf and glance at Brooke from across the room. Occasionally she would catch him looking, smiling back as she blushed once again. Even better was when he met her eyes when he went searching for her, meaning she had been watching him too. He tried desperately to listen to Arthur talk about his new book, or Ariadne about her maze, or even Cobb who was discussing the job they would soon be working on. He tried so hard to listen, but failed every time he met those deep blue eyes of hers. 

At one point he was pretty sure Cobb had caught him eyeing his niece but didn't say anything. He was cautious from then on, only glancing at her from the corner of his eyes. At around 2:30pm the group moved to the back office to discuss the newest job. Eames knew if and when they needed him, they would come and get him. He sat down in a chair near the door, content on just watching Brooke from across the room. She was back to writing in her old notebook. She seemed engrossed in whatever she was writing save for the moments she fidgeted with the sleeve of her hoodie covering her left arm. She was absolutely adorable. She smiled as she wrote something down and Eames wondered if it was about him. Before he knew what he was doing, he was walking towards the table she was seated at. He sat in a chair near her, not near enough in his mind, but he didn't want to draw attention to the two of them if the others happened to look out at them. She made no motion to show she noticed his presence and on further inspection, Eames noticed she had headphones in. He placed his hand palm down on her outstretched hand and she jerked up in response to the touch, yanking out her headphones and blushing. Eames threw is hands in the air in mock surrender.

"You had your headphones in," he said pointing at them dangling around her neck. "Sorry I startled you."

"It's okay. They help me concentrate," She said and Eames noticed that she hadn't moved her hand away from his once she realized who it was.

"What were you writing?" he asked, unable to help his curiosity. After a few seconds of silence he added "If you don't mind my asking." She blushed again, only intensifying his curiosity.

"Um, a poem," she said softly, finally meeting his gaze. "I found your note." She trailed off. So that's why she was blushing.

"About that," Eames began, fighting the panic rising in him. He thought her smile meant she understood, that she liked him too, but maybe he was wrong. "If that was out of line, I understand. I just…"

"It's okay Eames," she interrupted turning her hand over, lacing her fingers with his. His heart leaped at the small gesture. He lost all ability to think as he focused on how soft and smooth her hand was, and how it just happened to fit perfectly in his. After a moment he realized she was still talking and tore his eyes away from their entwined fingers. "I'm glad you wrote me that note, but I have to ask…." She trailed off again.

"What?" Eames whispered, trying not to focus on her hand in his. He knew it was supposed to be harmless but to him it meant the world.

"Why did you put so much effort into my gift?" she asked and he was suddenly at a loss for words. How did he explain himself without looking or sounding like a creep.

XxX

She knew it was wrong to ask but she had to know. You only put this much effort into someone that you cared for. That you loved. But Eames didn't love her. She was probably just is boss's niece. She felt him stiffen at her words but he didn't release her hand. That had to be good, right?

"Well," he began and stopped. He looked like he was having trouble getting his thoughts together. "I haven't seen you in a few weeks and I missed your smile. Its been so long since I have seen you truly happy." He was still struggling for words and Brooke had to convince herself she wasn't dreaming. He shifted in his seat, rubbing their hands together, and again she wondered why he hadn't pulled it away. "I know it is completely inappropriate because you are my boss's niece, me being an old man,"

"You're not old," she interrupted and wished she hadn't. She wanted to know where he was going with this.

He smiled his crooked smile and she almost melted. She loeved when that smile was directed at her. "Thank you, love, but I am way older than you. Anyway I remembered you said you liked butterflies and wished you could see bright blue and greens but there were never any around and I just started drawing and that's what came out. I just wanted to make you happy and make you see…." He trailed off and she knew why. She looked like shewas about to cry because she was.

"Why?" she whispered, not trusting her voice.

He laughed and looked down at the table. "Because however strange it may be or taboo or whatever you call it I love you," he didn't get the chance to finish what he was saying because before she knew she was reacting she reached out and grabbed his chin turning his head to face her. Before either one realized what they were doing she crashed her lips to his, desperate to show him she felt the same. She didn't care about anyone else at that moment, just that Eames was kissing her. Sure she kissed him first, but he kissed back just as hard. She felt his hands come to rest on her cheeks, caressing her jaw line as he continued to kiss her breathless. Her hands found their way to his sand brown hair, deepening the kiss, as he licked her lips, begging for entrance. 

At the feel of his tongue she gasped and he took it as an invitation to taste and explore every part of her mouth. Soon she was battling for dominance. Once won, she explored every inch of his mouth, rubbing her tongue across the sensitive roof, causing a soft moan to escape his lips. She moaned in response and tried to get as close as she could without being completely in his lap. He regained his control and began exploring every inch of her mouth again, making her dizzy. They parted, needing air, both of them panting. He kissed her nose gently, his hands still on her face. She was leaning in for another kiss when she heard a crashing sound to her left. She stood, instantly seeing the angry face of her uncle in the doorway. The crashing sound had been that of a coffee mug, now shattered in a hundred pieces on the concrete floor.

"Cobb," Eames said, backing away from Brooke a little more. She wasn't offended because she considered turning and running for her life as she saw the furious face of her uncle staring at Eames.

"Eames," Cobb said, trying to keep his voice calm so he didn't disturb the others. "Get out," he growled.

"Uncle Dom, its not his fault. Really!" Brooke nearly screamed. When he continued to stare at Eames he pleaded, "Please, Uncle Dom, he didn't do anything. I kissed him, I swear."

"He sure as hell wasn't resisting now was he!" Cobb spat, losing his patience.

"Ah hell, Cobb. Would you resist if a beautiful girl kissed you?" Eames asked and instantly regretted it as Cobb's features contorted and he was sure he was going to get punched in the face. For a moment Brooke couldn't move. No one had called her beautiful except her family. She was instantly snapped back to reality as Cobb was yelling again.

"If she was someone's 17 year old niece, hell yes I would, Eames." She walked over to her Uncle and stopped short of putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Please, Uncle Dom, it was my fault. Don't do anything stupid." She was almost in tears as he looked at her, angry glare still in place. She finally heard the three words she had been dying to hear since she turned 15 and met Eames for the first time. Now everything was already falling apart because of her overprotective Uncle!

"Go home, Brooke," he said as evenly as he could. When she didn't move he said "Now!"

"Please, Uncle Dom," she begged but he was hearing none of it.

"Now," Cobb yelled, his anger flying through the roof. She turned and headed for the doors. As she reached them she turned around slowly, first looking at Eames and then at her uncle. In a calm voice she said,

"I hate you. You are not my father so please do not start acting like it. Do not expect me to be home when you get there." She turned and walked out the door without a second glance or another word. She didn't wait to hear what her uncle had to say. She already had her car keys in hand, ready to go. She didn't care where she had to go, she just knew she couldn't be near her uncle right now.

XxX

"What the hell were you thinking, Eames?" Cobb screamed inches from his face.

"Honestly Cobb, I wasn't. We were talking about the notebook I gave her and," he decided to leave out the "I love you" and went on, "and she leaned in and next thing I knew we were kissing."

"You didn't have to kiss her back, Eames. You are 32 years old. It is perfectly acceptable for you to push her away." Cobb was yelling again and Eames was expecting no less. He knew the man was furious.

"Well I did!" Eames yelled back. "And I am obviously not needed here today so I will be leaving."

Cobb's tone was different when he finally spoke again, as Eames reached for the door handle. "Can I trust you to check on her? She probably wont talk to me for days. Just calm her down. Get her to stay at home."

"Of course, Cobb. You're my boss, and my best friend." He reached for the door handle again. As he walked through the doors he heard "And remember she is half your age." He just laughed and headed to his car at the back of the lot. He saw Cobb's, well now Brooke's, Honda civic still parked where it had been when he pulled up. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it as he walked to the car. He saw Brooke slumped against the steering wheel. He noticed how her shoulders heaved and realized she was crying. He took a long drag on his cigarette and threw it on the ground as he approached the driver side window. He knocked on it softly, but still startled her. She sat upright quickly, wiping at her eyes. When her eyes met his, he felt his heart breaking at the sadness he saw. She rolled down the window and smiled weakly.

"Hey, darling, you okay?" he asked kneeling down so he was eye level with her. "I thought you'd have been gone by now."

"When I got to the car I didn't know where I wanted to go. So I just sat here." She said. She was fidgeting with her left wrist again, but Eames paid no mind to it. He thought it was just a nervous habit.

"What's wrong, love?" He noticed how her cheeks reddened slightly at the endearment and the smile that crossed her features, softening her sad eyes. He was glad he said it.

"He's such a jerk!" she wailed, tears beginning to fall again. "Why does he care who I decide to be with? He isn't my dad!"

"Love, he is your guardian now and even though it may not seem like it, he does see you as a daughter. And he also cares because you are half my age." He tried to explain it but knew she wasn't buying anything he was saying.

"It doesn't matter," she spoke before he could finish his train of thought, "He has no right, Eames." She was fully in tears again and Eames reached out to wipe the tears away. As he was about to pull his hand away, she leaned into the embrace. His heart skipped a beat and he realized he still didn't know how she truly felt. She kissed him when he said he loved her but never voiced her own feelings.

"Let me take you to a late lunch, hm?" he asked. He knew Cobb would be pissed but he needed to talk to her and he needed to see her smile again. She didn't speak, just nodded. "Follow me, okay?" Another nod. "You okay to drive?" again, she nodded. "Okay." He sighed as he walked to his own car. He was absolutely pissed at Cobb for blowing up on her the way he did. He would have been happy to take the brute of it all, just so she wouldn't have gotten hurt. He climbed into his car and headed toward a local diner, Brooke right behind him. He pulled into the parking lot moments later and stepped out f his car. He waited for Brooke to join him and headed inside, resting his hand on the small of her back. She looked so fragile he couldn't help it. She leaned into the embrace and made him smile. He walked them to a booth at the rear of the diner and sat her in the seat, sitting across from her. He wanted more than anything to be close to her, but he knew she needed space. She rested her hands in the center of the table, her hands crossed and fingers laced together. He reached out and placed one of his large hands over hers, noticing how small her hands were compared to his. She didn't pull away and that made him smile again.

"What's the matter, love?" He asked, wanting to hear her voice again. He didn't care what they talked about he just wanted to keep her talking. He rubbed soothing circles with his thumb and she seemed to relax a little.

"He ruins everything." Eames waited for her to elaborate but she said nothing more.

"Well, there really isn't anything to ruin, yet, is there, pet?" He smiled and she seemed to understand what he was implying because her eyes lit up again and a small smile broke out across her beautiful features.

"Yet?" she asked, just like he knew she would. That's exactly why he worded it the way he did.

"Yes, yet. Cobb will just have to get over the fact that I am absolutely in love with his niece and I am not letting you go for the world." He saw her battling several emotions and that scared him. She pulled one hand out from his and began fidgeting with her sleeve again. He caught a glimpse of something white but decided not to question it when he heard he begin to speak.

"There is so much about me you don't know, Eames." The way she said his name, almost pleading, made his chest ache.

"Nothing could drive me away from you, love. Which brings me to ask how you feel about me?" He had to know if she loved him too.

"I love you, Eames. I have since I met you." She grabbed her wrist; fingers wrapping around it so tight her knuckles went white. Eames almost didn't notice he was so happy she said she loved him. He squeezed the hand he was still holding and tried to get her to look at him but she was still staring at the table. "Eames," she didn't say anymore just lifted her sleeve to reveal a white bandage with crimson red stains. Eames stared in disbelief at the bandage because he knew exactly what was under it. He suffered from the same addiction as a child but soon grew out of it when he discovered his love for dream work. She pulled the gauze away to reveal a nasty looking cut, covered in dried blood. He noticed, to his relief, it wasn't nearly as deep as he was expecting. Instinctively, he reached out and grabbed her wrist to get a look at it closer. He felt her jerk as his fingers wrapped around her wrist but caught her gaze. "Why?" was all he managed to ask. She jerked her wrist from his grasp, rewrapping the gauze and pulled her sleeve down to cover it again.

"It's just been a problem I have been dealing with for a couple years now." She looked down and whispered "I told you" so low Eames barely heard it, but he did.

"Told me what?" he asked, confused.

"That you would turn away from me." At her words he reached out, gently taking her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him. When their eyes met he saw sadness. He wanted to kiss the sadness away but for now settled on talking.

"I am not turning away from you. I want to help you through this. I want to be there for you through everything. That's what love is." He held her gaze for a moment longer until she dropped her eyes to the table again.

XxX

She knew she should speak but couldn't. How could he understand? How could he be willing to love her when there was so much more he needed to know.

"You can never understand though," she whispered. She felt his hand on her face again, turning her to face him. She didn't fight it and looked into his blue eyes as a tear slid down her cheek.

"Yes I do. For several years as a teenager I dealt with this same problem. After I lost my parents I had no one to turn to. I turned to cutting to deal with the stress. When that got to be a problem I had no one around to help me through it. Until I met your uncle." She stared at him as she realized she had finally met someone who could fully understand her. At the mention of he uncle, though, she gave him a confused look and he continued. "yes, your uncle introduced me to dream work and I was so enthralled I put everything I had into it. He knew about my problem and told me that I either stopped hurting myself or I wasn't aloud to work with him anymore. Till this day, I have not harmed myself again." He took her hand in his again and squeezed lightly, reassuringly.

"I had no idea," was all she could whisper.

"I have never told another soul about that part of my past except your uncle. But I do understand exactly what you are going through. And I am going to be there for you like your uncle was for me."

"Eddie," she whispered. No one used his first name, except people really close to him. She had called him Eddie most of his life but now it seemed so more intimate. "You don't know how long I have waited to find someone that understands. That will love me despite it. You cant know how much I truly love you, Eddie. I have wanted to ask for help for so long, I just never knew how." She looked into those big blue-green eyes of his, eyes that you could get lost in, and saw nothing but love. It made her heart swell and she smiled despite what they were discussing.

"So, will you be with me and let me help you?" he asked, never breaking eye contact. She saw the sincerity behind his words and knew she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life. She didn't know how she knew at such a young age but she felt it to her core. This was her soul mate. Instead of answering she lifted one heavy palm to her lips and placed a feather light kiss at the center. She saw a flicker of something is his eyes but let it pass. She sat their hands back down and looked him dead in the eye.

"I've never wanted anything more." Eames smiled at her and she smiled back. They sat in comfortable silence until she thought about her uncle. "What about Dom? Our age difference? What will the guys think?"

"Frankly," Eames said, laughing, "I don't care what the guys think and our age difference is nothing if we are in love. And Cobb," he said, swaying his head, "Well, he'll come around. He knows I am a good guy and he has to know I would never hurt you." He laced their fingers together again. "We will make it work no matter what. I will deal with whatever Cobb has to dish out, but I am not letting you get away." She leaned across the diner table and kissed him with all she had. It was a gentle, innocent kiss but it held so much feeling behind it. She pulled away for air and sat back in her seat.

"I love you, Brooke. Forever." She smiled and squeezed his hand.

"I love you too." Their waitress finally came to the table. They had been there almost a half an hour and didn't even notice no one had come to their table.

"Hello guys, sorry to have kept you waiting but we didn't want to interrupt," the waitress named Kathy said smiling.

"That is very much appreciated," Eames said smiling, still holding her hand. They ordered their food and once full and happy they decided to head back to her house. As they walked to the front door Eames stopped.

"Are you sure about this, Brooke? I would hate for Cobb to find me hear and get all mad and huffy again." She couldn't help but laugh.

"He'll be at the warehouse for at least a few more hours. He doesn't come home until after dark, lately." She unlocked the door and walked inside, Eames following closely behind. She shut and locked the door and headed straight to her bedroom. Once in her room Eames sat on the edge of her bed and she pulled out her laptop. She powered it on and noticed Eames curious stare.

"I want you to hear a song," she stated simply.

"Sure," Eames said, smiling as she layed down on her stomach next to him. He turned so he could see the screen from where he was sitting and placed his hand on the small of her back. She suddenly became very aware of Eames hand on her back but accepted the touch as an innocent gesture. She pulled up youtube and typed in "Britt Nicole." Eames watched her as she clicked a song called "When She Cries" and music began to play through the speakers. Eames could tell from her intense stare and her stiff posture that this song meant a lot to her. He began to read the lyrics that ran across the screen as the singer began to sing.

"Little girl terrified

She'd leave her room if only bruises would heal

A home is no place to hide

Her heart is breaking from the pain that she feels"

When the chorus began, Eames noticed she started to sing and his heart melted at the sound, but he continued listening and reading.

[CHORUS] "Every day's the same

She fights to find her way

She hurts, she breaks, she hides, and tries to pray

She wonders why, does anyone ever hear her when she cries."

Eames began to wonder if this was how she really felt. If she really felt that no one noticed her. He leaned down and whispered "I do," in her ear and he knew she heard because she smiled. He went back to reading the lyrics on the computer screen.

"Today she's turning sixteen

Everyone singing, but she can't seem to smile

They never get past arms length

How could they act like everything is alright?"

He rubbed small circles on her back to reassure her he was still with her.

"She's pulling down her long sleeves

To cover all the memories that scars leave

She says, "maybe making me bleed

will be the answer that could wash the slate clean"

He began to realize how much the song fit her situation and knew his earlier assumptions were right. This song meant a lot to her. He decided from that moment on he was going to be there for her, whenever, and however she needed him to be. He was going to make sure she never felt that way again.

[CHORUS] "Every day's the same

She fights to find her way

She hurts, she breaks, she hides, and tries to pray

She wonders why, does anyone ever hear her when she cries."

"This is the dark before the dawn

The storm before the peace

Don't be afraid 'cause seasons change and

God is watching over you

He hears you"

She paused the song and looked him intently.

"I know this song is about god, but…" She trailed off but he knew exactly where she was going. To her this song described him. He smiled down at her and received a smile in return. She resumed the song and continued to read.

"Every day's the same

She fights to find her way

She hurts, she breaks, she hides, and tries to pray

She'll be just fine, cause now he hears her when she cries"

"Every day's the same

She fights to find her way

She hurts, she breaks, she hides, and tries to pray

She'll be just fine, cause now he hears her when she cries

She'll be just fine, cause now he hears her when she cries"

The song trailed off, signaling the end of the song. She sat up on the bed and turned to face Eames. He was speechless, not knowing how to explain everything he was feeling for her at that moment. Thankfully she spoke first.

"I have been waiting to have someone make this song meaningful," she took his hand in hers and twined their fingers together. She leant her forehead against his and whispered "I'm so glad its you." Eames smiled, his heart filled with love for the girl sitting in front of him. When he finally spoke, his voice cracked, filled with emotion.

"I'm glad its me too," He pulled back to place a kiss on her forehead, her cheek, her jaw and finally her lips. When their lips met she couldn't suppress the groan the escaped. Kissing Eames was near an addiction, one she was happy to have. She licked Eames bottom lip and he opened his mouth happily, letting her taste every inch of him before taking control so he could taste her mouth as well. They pulled away when the need to breathe became too intense. He pressed his forehead against once more and whispered, "Whenever you need me I will be here. No matter what."

"I know," she whispered back and was truly happy for the first time in years.


End file.
